Watch a webcast that explains: Why a turkey continues to cook after it’s out of the oven. How you can be sure to thoroughly cook the dark meat without drying out the white meat. How you make the skin golden. Discover why temperature is critical, and investigate different cooking methods: roasting, deep frying, barbecuing, and smoking.

Science Wiz Steve Spangler demonstrates this method (a favorite among chemistry teachers) to illustrate the energy released when you break a triple bond in a molecule of acetylene. Huh? Watch the video. (Note: Parental previewing and guidance a must!)

Take a virtual tour of a cranberry bog and get some fun, cranberry-themed learning activities for kids!

When you get to the website, you’ll see two video screens. The second video titled,” “Wisconsin Cranberries: Not So Wild Anymore” is the one that contains a terrific history of the cranberry and a thorough explanation of how the cranberry is grown, harvested, and prepared for consumption.

When you’re through watching the videos, don’t miss the incredible photo slide-show that you can access via the menu in the left margin of the page. The pictures give you a better view of the bogs than the videos, and the accompanying text explains what you are seeing.

Be sure to look on the menu to find the “For Kids” section where you can get a FREE downloadable and printable “Cranberry Activity Book“ that includes word searches, crossword puzzles, color-by-number and easy cranberry craft and cooking projects.

Discovery Education and 3M Corporation sponsor this website that provides free, multi-media interactives including lessons and virtual labs to help students learn life science, physical science, earth science, and technology/innovation through real world connections. Is there chemistry in the kitchen and physics at the park? The activities at this website demonstrate that science is everywhere.

When you get to the site, you’ll see “Innovation HQ” in the center of the screen that features some virtual labs and activities. The content in this section is peppered with mentions of 3M products (i.e., Scotch Tape to Thinsulate Insulation). You’ll also see a menu at the top of the homepage that includes “Teachers,” “Families,” and “Students.” All three selections allow you to access the same content that includes science lessons, videos, and interactives.

Home educators may find it easier to click on “Teachers,” where you’ll find the content sorted by Grade Range (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 – with most of the content geared for grades 3-8) that includes:

*Lessons – Download (pdf) complete lesson plans for K-8 that teach about recycling, light, adhesives, friction, magnets, architecture, sound, and solar energy. High school students can watch videos of scientists and engineers talking about their careers.

*Videos & Interactives – Watch short videos and animations that explain the seasons, weather patterns, and household technology such as dishwashers, frozen foods, circuitry. You can even learn all about blimps and airships.

*Virtual Labs – Students are presented with a series of challenges that require them to use the virtual lab to fix faulty circuitry, design a cooking skillet, and design, build, and test a wind turbine.

There is a lot of content to explore on this site including a blog and information on contests in which your emerging scientists can participate to win prizes.

Take a virtual tour of a cranberry bog and get some fun, cranberry-themed learning activities for kids! When you get to the site, enjoy watching professional videos about Wisconsin’s cranberry industry including its history as well as growing, harvesting, and packaging processes.

When you’re through watching the videos, use the menu to find the incredible photo slide-show. The pictures give you a better view of the bogs than the videos, and accompanying text explains what you are viewing.

Be sure to look on the menu to find the “For Kids” section where you can get a FREE downloadable and printable “Cranberry Activity Book” that includes word searches, crossword puzzles, color-by-number and easy cranberry craft and cooking projects.

Hi! It’s Tuesday, November 15, 2011 and time for Science at ClickSchooling!

Visit the following websites and amaze your Thanksgiving dinner guests with scientific
knowledge of the chemical composition and scientific aspects of the feast!

Recommended Websites:Science of Thanksgiving Dinner
(See Below)

Age Range: 9 and up (with parental supervision)

Exploratorium Video: The Science of Cooking TurkeyIn this one-hour video production a food expert explains the science behind cooking a turkey. What’s with the dark meat and light meat on a turkey? Learn how to be sure your turkey is thoroughly cooked. Is stuffing really a good idea? How do you make the skin golden?

NPR: The Chemistry of Thanksgiving DinnerListen to 2-minute excerpt from an NPR broadcast in which professors talk about proteins, peptides, alkenes, amino acids, tryptophan and more. Discover the chemistry and molecular structure lurking in your Thanksgiving dinner.

Punkin ChunkinOn Thanksgiving, pumpkins are on the menu and part of the décor. This year, invite your guests to try “punkin chunkin” – tossing a pumpkin as far as they can. The World Championship Punkin Chunkin Association is a nonprofit that raises money to benefit youth. Their annual pumpkin-launching event encourages entrants to use their science and engineering skills in a competitive quest for hurling a pumpkin the furthest distance. At this website you can read all about it, watch video footage of the 2011 event, and discover some of the science behind punkin chunkin.

A Wisconsin ClickScholar recommended this ad-supported website that contains thousands of videos explaining and showing how to do a wide variety of things from cooking to building robots and much more.

As the website explains, “Instructables is a web-based documentation platform where passionate people share what they do and how they do it, and learn from and collaborate with others. The seeds of Instructables germinated at the MIT Media Lab as the future founders of Squid Labs built places to share their projects and help others.”

While this is not technically a “kids” site, with parental guidance kids can have a blast and learn plenty of important life and career skills. For example, check out the “Weekend Lego Projects.”

And there’s so much more! When you get to the home page you’ll see a menu of tabbed topics that include:

*Food – Learn to cook including grilling, cake decorating, canning and preserving, and much more!

*Living – Discover how to tie-dye, make an oil cap belt buckle, make frozen dog treats, tie a Windsor Knot, and more!

*Outside – Get camping tips, learn how to repair your bicycle, find out how to do a heel-flip on your skateboard.

*Play – Make a potato chip bag wallet, innovate with Legos, make a paper airplane and more!

*Technology – Make a simple motor, make a computer generated angel’s wing, learn how to solder, and more!